GOV. NATHAN Deal is wise in the ways of Washington. He knows that money talks and baloney walks, especially when it comes to convincing the federal government to help fund the proposed $652 Savannah Harbor Expansion project.

On Monday, Georgia’s governor announced that as part of his upcoming budget proposal he will up the ante by seeking an additional $50 million for harbor deepening.

If the Georgia Legislature approves this measure next year — and it should — this increase will boost state funding for this needed project to $231.1 million.

“Expanding the Savannah Harbor is vital to our renewed economic growth and plays an integral role in helping make our state the No. 1 place in the nation in which to do business,” Mr. Deal said.

He’s exactly right.

Savannah’s port didn’t become the second busiest U.S. container port for the export of American goods by tonnage because of pure luck. It earned that ranking the hard way — by thinking ahead, investing in needed improvements and taking care of its customers. Today, 352,000 jobs in Georgia are tied to the port. About $18.5 billion in annual income for Georgians is generated through port-related business.

If lawmakers agree with the governor next year, it means state taxpayers will be kicking in more than a third of the cost of this project. That’s a substantial commitment that speaks volumes about how Georgia feels about the importance of harbor deepening, even when public dollars are more precious than ever.

This is where Mr. Deal’s experience as a former member of the U.S. House comes in handy.

These are tough times. All governments must watch every nickel they spend. In Washington, the top priority is steering the nation away from the fiscal cliff that could plunge the country into another recession.

The remedy likely will be a combination of spending cuts and revenue increases. In such a political climate, it’s unrealistic to expect that Congress and the Obama administration will agree to put 100 percent of capital projects like port deepening on Uncle Sam’s credit card. Hence it’s necessary for states, if they want federal buy-in, to ante up a healthy share of the total cost.

That’s what Mr. Deal is proposing. The additional $50 million that the governor wants to add to Georgia’s share, as part of his fiscal year 2014 budget proposal, shows that Georgians want to make a deeper harbor a reality. It shows that citizens are committed to jobs at home and exports to other nations, which help strengthen the state and national economies.

The Obama administration has slated this project for fast-track completion, declaring it “nationally and regionally significant.” The hope is that Congress will agree and contribute substantial funds for deepening in its FY 2014 budget.

It’s significant that almost half of the cost of this project isn’t just digging a deeper channel. About $311 million will be spent on environmental mitigation to help restore, preserve and manage the ecosystem. That’s a necessary part of the project, which is the product of 16 years of study.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has projected a 5.5-to-1 benefit-to-cost ratio for this project, so it’s not a gamble. There’s a huge return on the public’s investment.

The goal should be to start the deepening next year. That’s where the extra $50 million that Mr. Deal wants to invest could prove critical.

Money is money. It’s unclear at this point what Washington will kick in next year. But the governor knows that if you snooze, you lose.

If Georgia wants to continue the positive momentum for the largest gateway to U.S. trade in the Southeast, it has to put more skin in the game until the feds get their fiscal house in order. Credit the governor for making a smart play at the right time.